French GP: Ducati preview

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RETURN TO EUROPE FOR FRENCH GP
The MotoGP World Championship returns to Europe for
the Grand Prix of France as the season enters its busiest phase, with
five races coming up over the next seven weekends.
Despite finishing...

DUCATI MARLBORO TEAM RETURN TO EUROPE FOR FRENCH GP

The MotoGP World Championship returns to Europe for
the Grand Prix of France as the season enters its busiest phase, with
five races coming up over the next seven weekends.

Despite finishing on the podium in the last round at Shanghai, reigning
World Champion Casey Stoner was disappointed that he hadn't been able to
repeat his pace from practice in the race and his target for this weekend
is to return to his usual highly-competitive self. Marco Melandri
achieved his objective in China by improving his feeling with the bike
and fighting for a top position, so his clear objective for France is to
continue with that level of progression.

Stoner has a decent record at Le Mans, having finished on the podium last
year and only just missing out with fourth place as a rookie in 2006.
Melandri actually won that race two years ago and he finished an
impressive second last season.

LIVIO SUPPO, MotoGP PROJECT DIRECTOR

"On paper Le Mans isn't particularly suited to our bike but last year
Casey was on the pace in every dry practice session and managed a podium
in a race that was badly affected by the weather. So we go to France
feeling confident that we can do well with both Casey and Marco, who
began to show in China that the great job done by the team is bearing
fruit."

CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team

"I haven't had outstanding results at Le Mans in the past but they have
been good and I remember last year being really fast in practice and
feeling confident for the race. Then on Sunday it rained but I still came
away with a podium. The track itself is not the most exciting - it's more
like a go-kart track, where the bike has to be really efficient on the
brakes but agile at the same time and quick on the exit of the corners.
At the end of the day though, whether you like a track or not, the
objective is still the same - you have to work hard all weekend and
prepare a competitive package for the race, something we generally always
manage to achieve and have the knowledge to do again."

MARCO MELANDRI, Ducati Marlboro Team

"Le Mans is a track with a lot of heavy braking and it cannot be
underestimated because it is quite technical, with slow turns followed by
some really fast ones. Even so I think I can do well there because I won
in 2006 with the 990cc bike and last year I made the podium with the 800.
Personally I have always liked the track so hopefully I can get another
good result. We have shown that we're able to come through a difficult
situation and we've made real progress so I just can't wait to get back
on track now. I feel optimistic and I hope we can confirm our progress on
a very different kind of circuit to Shanghai."

THE TRACK

Located in the region of Sarthe, a couple of hours' drive from the
capital city of Paris, Le Mans is renowned for the 24 Hour automobile
race. The Bugatti circuit, which is very different to the actual 24 Hour
circuit, plays host to the MotoGP race, having returned to the calendar
back in 1999. Considered a "stop and go" circuit, Le Mans is riddled with
slow corners but also features one of the fastest on the calendar, which
comes at the end of the start-finish straight. A host of hairpins and
chicanes call for balance and control under repeated heavy braking as
well as corner speed and good acceleration on exit. With nine right-hand
corners and only four left-handers the track is also a major test for
tyres. The layout was modified two years ago with slight alterations to
the first corner in the interest of safety.